Integrating Technology Into Instructional Practice
Description: This workshop will familiarize participants with the array of technology available to teachers and strategies for incorporating it appropriately into instructional practice. The focus will be on how these technology innovations can facilitate language development and enhance cultural understanding in a standards-based program. From wikis to podcasts to blogging—each technology innovation will be presented with accompanying strategies for developing students’ communicative ability in the target language.
Can you identify how the activities and products of the Cognitive Taxonomy Circle relate to the three modes of communication?
Group 1: Gathering Information & Checking for Understanding
A. Finding Information
My name is (name) and I teach (level and language). I am like a (object) because (your imagination required here).
Challenge - Use the Creative Commons search and find a visual representation of your object. Did you know? In Firefox 3.0, Creative Commons search is one of the toolbar search options.
Copyright Soapbox: Fair use, photos, publishing, distance networks - there are many ways to create and publish content, as well as remix or mashup existing content. As educators, we are responsible to demonstrate appropriate copyright.
Let's collect a little information about our group! Who are you? Ever need to gather information about your students AND have it at your digital fingertips? Collect it through either a Google Docs Form (and spreadsheet) or a Survey Monkey free survey.
Take Google Forms one step further - turn it in to a self-grading activity (think quiz, exit ticket, quick comprehension check, etc.) - learn more with this 9 minute video tutorial.
Do your students have cell phones? Use Poll Everywhere - students can text message their response. Here is the same poll as was in the initial powerpoint. As you can see there are two views: web-based voting and cell phone texting-based voting. If you didn't vote before, vote now!
Web Voting Widget - click here to vote
Results Chart Widget - use the info below to text and see the results as they come in
Digital storytelling with the ability to have text, audio, video, or doodle commentary on each slide. You must have a VoiceThread account in order to create or comment.
You can set preferences to allow others to comment as well. VoiceThread is an interesting, easy to use web-based environment for digital storytelling and there is an education portal.
(Embedded example): During the workshop we listened to the story (comprehensible input, with personalizing questions, retelling the story, etc). Then, participants practiced retelling the story by adding comments to the VoiceThread:
Comiqs allows you to create comic strips using your own photos which you can then embed into websites, wikis, blogs or social networking sites. Comiqs can easily pull in your flickr photos.
Similar environments: Pikistrips allow you to create comic strips from your photos. Toondooallows you to create your own comic characters and comic strips. Glogster allows you to create posters Scrapblog takes scrapbooking online. Xtranormal is a web-based animated movie-making environment
Allows you to add speech and thought bubbles to any online video. Great for drawing students' attention to specific features of a video clip, for encouraging them to use their language skills to comment on the content of the video by having them insert text, graphics, or analysis - they create their own mash-up!
Discussion. Here are the ideas brainstormed by small groups on how the above technology applications could be used in the world language classroom. Many of these ideas actually apply to multiple authoring environments
VoiceThread
Help explain the sequence of events (introduction, body, change of event, conclusion)
Reflection and editing of student language production
Students narrate photo(s), spontaneous commentary in the target language
Students record descriptions of pictures, play recordings, guess pictures that correspond with the audio
TPRS video or comic strips
Retell story with different time references (past, present, future) and different people (point of view)
Turn in to a travel blog or highlight experiences in other countries
Speaking and listening assignments
Personal narration
Vocabulary
Oral assessments
Peer evaluation through commenting
Interactive presentations
Paperless projects with real-time feedback
Children's stories
Stagger presentations
Bubble-Ply
See a video clip and come up with possible ending (different students may have different endings)
Layer target language key vocabulary
Layer pictures and/or graphics to aid comprehension
Cloze activity - fill in missing word
Add subtitles to video
Karaoke
Gcast
Pick two political (etc.) figures and create a fictitious conversation
Updates: news, partner classrooms, weather, group updates
A wiki is a type of website where multiple authors can be designated to edit and create content. Wikis have discussion pages, history to view previous edits, and can be public, semi-private, or private.
And, need help? Check out the video tours of Wikispaces to learn how to begin editing your page, add images and media, and personalize your space.
The main page of the Wikispaces Help has quite an array of help topics to chose from.
For more specific information that has been asked for by teachers, it can be found in the Teachers Section of the Wikispaces help. There are a few more resources about halfway down the page under heading number 8 (a couple PDFs and PowerPoints)
B. Edublogs
Blogs
A blog is simply a website that has an author(s) who publishes some content, then has a place where others can comment on the content. Posts are on one page, appearing in reverse chronological order. A blog website may have additional pages as well.
Establish classroom blogs and blogs for students at Class Blogmeister (created and maintainted by David Warlick) or Edublogs. Both of these environments provide teacher management features to enable students to be bloggers and teachers to moderate the environment.
Utilities of interest
File Conversion Zamzar can help capture those web-based videos as well as convert a wide range of file types from one format to another.
Screen Capture Jing will enable you to capture all or part of your screen in a still shot, or capture you screen in action (thereby creating a brief video). It is free!
Web-based Video and Photo Editing Jumpcut - Allows free, online video editing Picnik and SnipShot provide free photo editing
Integrating Technology Into Instructional Practice
Description: This workshop will familiarize participants with the array of technology available to teachers and strategies for incorporating it appropriately into instructional practice. The focus will be on how these technology innovations can facilitate language development and enhance cultural understanding in a standards-based program. From wikis to podcasts to blogging—each technology innovation will be presented with accompanying strategies for developing students’ communicative ability in the target language.
Can you identify how the activities and products of the Cognitive Taxonomy Circle relate to the three modes of communication?
Group 1: Gathering Information & Checking for Understanding
A. Finding Information
Challenge - Use the Creative Commons search and find a visual representation of your object. Did you know? In Firefox 3.0, Creative Commons search is one of the toolbar search options.
Copyright Soapbox: Fair use, photos, publishing, distance networks - there are many ways to create and publish content, as well as remix or mashup existing content. As educators, we are responsible to demonstrate appropriate copyright.
Technology & Learning Magazine has a great article about copyright and a handy chart (PDF).
Need an easy way to create citations? Use Son of Citation Machine
B. Gathering Information
Let's collect a little information about our group!This French teacher uses a Google Form to collect data from students who watched a film and this German teacher collected information about her students.
Take Google Forms one step further - turn it in to a self-grading activity (think quiz, exit ticket, quick comprehension check, etc.) - learn more with this 9 minute video tutorial.
Do your students have cell phones? Use Poll Everywhere - students can text message their response.
Create interactive meetings at Poll Everywhere
Create interactive meetings at Poll Everywhere
Discussion. Here are the ideas brainstormed by small groups on how the above technology applications could be used in the world language classroom.
Polls and FormsCreative Commons
Group 2: Digital Storytelling in five different environments
ThisA. VoiceThread
Digital storytelling with the ability to have text, audio, video, or doodle commentary on each slide. You must have a VoiceThread account in order to create or comment.You can set preferences to allow others to comment as well. VoiceThread is an interesting, easy to use web-based environment for digital storytelling and there is an education portal.
Langwitchesdescribes how she used it with her students and how to get started.
Read more about how educators are using VoiceThread.
(Linked examples:)
(Embedded example): During the workshop we listened to the story (comprehensible input, with personalizing questions, retelling the story, etc). Then, participants practiced retelling the story by adding comments to the VoiceThread:
B. Voki
Allows you to create an avatar and give it voice.C. Comiqs
Comiqs allows you to create comic strips using your own photos which you can then embed into websites, wikis, blogs or social networking sites. Comiqs can easily pull in your flickr photos.Similar environments:
Pikistrips allow you to create comic strips from your photos.
Toondooallows you to create your own comic characters and comic strips.
Glogster allows you to create posters
Scrapblog takes scrapbooking online.
Xtranormal is a web-based animated movie-making environment
D. BubblePLY
Allows you to add speech and thought bubbles to any online video. Great for drawing students' attention to specific features of a video clip, for encouraging them to use their language skills to comment on the content of the video by having them insert text, graphics, or analysis - they create their own mash-up!
E. GCast
Use your cell phone to create a podcast. No special equipment needed, simply call in! Users can upload audio files from the computer as well.Discussion. Here are the ideas brainstormed by small groups on how the above technology applications could be used in the world language classroom. Many of these ideas actually apply to multiple authoring environments
VoiceThreadBubble-Ply
Gcast
Voki
Comic genre
or, as one group put it - Tech infused unit: Vacations
Other suggested/noted websites by small groups
Group 3: Creating a digital home
A. Wikispaces
A wiki is a type of website where multiple authors can be designated to edit and create content. Wikis have discussion pages, history to view previous edits, and can be public, semi-private, or private.Ah-Bon French middle school wiki
Bishop Blog Wiki is a high school Spanish teacher's wiki
David Warlick's CoLearners shows how a presenter can put presentations, notes, handouts, and invite participants.
Dorman Data Digest is a history or social studies teacher's wiki
FrauLyon high school German wiki
LanguageLinks2006 and specifically the Intern Level Methods shows how wikis can be an interactive tool for World Language Methods courses
Latin wiki - high school
Mme Mina Kim, French Teacher, has a fantastic wiki.
Mme Thomas French class wiki
Youth Wiki is a collaborative project across several schools
So if students are creating wikis, how can you assess them? Vicki Davis has a wiki grading rubric and Read*Write*Think has a wiki rubric and interesting lesson on protest songs.
Ready to start your own wiki? Visit this page to get the advertisement-free wikispace or click the image below.
And, need help? Check out the video tours of Wikispaces to learn how to begin editing your page, add images and media, and personalize your space.
The main page of the Wikispaces Help has quite an array of help topics to chose from.
For more specific information that has been asked for by teachers, it can be found in the Teachers Section of the Wikispaces help. There are a few more resources about halfway down the page under heading number 8 (a couple PDFs and PowerPoints)
B. Edublogs
BlogsA blog is simply a website that has an author(s) who publishes some content, then has a place where others can comment on the content. Posts are on one page, appearing in reverse chronological order. A blog website may have additional pages as well.
classroom-focused blogs
K-107 Internet Classroom - Chinese classroom blog
deutschlernen - a unversity level German class blog
How Beautiful You Are - a first grade classroom in California (caution - sound automatically plays)
Kinderkids Classroom - kindergarten blog in a New Hampshire school
Kirklandneuk Primary Blog - French class in a UK primary school
Las Palabras Son Poder - a high school Spanish teacher blog
Mr. Mayo Student Weblogs - each student has his or her own blog
Songhai Concepts - a Philadelphia information technology class blog
South Paris Collaborative Chat - a fifth grade classroom blog
Two Stars and a Wish - French class blog from Newport, Isle of Wright, middle school level (more or less)
TGS MFL Resource and Homework Blog - French and German class blog
education-focused blogs
Moving at the Speed of Creativity
Cool Cat Teacher
David Warlick's $.02 worth
The Fischbowl
Mr. P's Blog - a principal's blog
Weblogged
Establish classroom blogs and blogs for students at Class Blogmeister (created and maintainted by David Warlick) or Edublogs. Both of these environments provide teacher management features to enable students to be bloggers and teachers to moderate the environment.
Utilities of interest
File Conversion
Zamzar can help capture those web-based videos as well as convert a wide range of file types from one format to another.
Screen Capture
Jing will enable you to capture all or part of your screen in a still shot, or capture you screen in action (thereby creating a brief video). It is free!
Web-based Video and Photo Editing
Jumpcut - Allows free, online video editing
Picnik and SnipShot provide free photo editing